On Monday night, when most people were watching WWE RAW or catching New Japan Pro Wrestling’s biggest show of the year Wrestle Kingdom 10, there was quite a storm brewing off-screen. It has been reported that former two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion A.J. Styles and former multiple time IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champion Luke Gallows handed New Japan officials their resignation notices.
Both men had been working without contracts while considering other options. Gallows’ tag partner and one of the founding members of the popular Bullet Club stable Karl Anderson, as well as the super charismatic Shinsuke Nakamura, are also reportedly heading to Camp McMahon. NXT Champion Finn Balor appears to be wondering why he can’t find them at WWE headquarters:
They should have been here by now….
The status of both Nakamura and Anderson isn’t clear since both men are apparently still under contract, but Styles has been removed from all New Japan and Ring of Honor advertising. Another important note is that sources are reporting the money offered to both Styles and Nakamura is “main roster” money, not an amount the company would offer talent being brought on board to bolster the NXT roster for 2016.
It’s not clear if that’s the case for Anderson and Gallows as well, but one would make an educated guess that with Finn Balor still in NXT and allegedly planning to stick around for the foreseeable future, the former IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions are likely to join him.
The day after, Wrestle Kingdom saw Gallows, Anderson and the rest of the Bullet Club attack Styles and oust him in favor of their new leader, Kenny Omega. That speaks further to the idea that Styles is headed to the main WWE roster while Gallows and Anderson will continue to be aligned, just on NXT. Would they be with Balor or would they go after him?
Banks Club wanna join @ShinsukeN 😏 #LegitBoss pic.twitter.com/BqTreJH1bi
— $asha Banks (@SashaBanksWWE) January 5, 2016
WWE’s website and social media outlets have also gotten in on the action, and that acknowledgment would make you expect that the powers that be have made the necessary moves to bring the men to the U.S. sooner rather than later.
Or, they are just using the buzz to generate traffic. That’s a perfectly acceptable way to respond to news that is either untrue, or the reporting of a deal that isn’t finalized.
